Pranayama Breathing

• What Is Pranayama Breathing?
• How Can Pranayama Help Me?

What Is Pranayama Breathing?

Pranayama is a very old Vedic series of breathing techniques.

Here is an example I was taught back in the 1970's.

Use this "10 Second Meditation Ping" as your time counter.

1. Without using your hands, and just using the muscles in your nose, contract (pinch) the muscles in the top front part of your nose - just like you are trying to smell a faint smell - and hold that muscle contraction for 10 minutes doing slow deep breathing.

2. This is a 2 stage meditation technique.

Stage 1 Is the breathing method I explain below.

Stage 2 Is visualizing "prana" coming out of the air around you (like mist) and being absorbed into the front of your nostrils.

We Begin

Using your thumb and index finger only, gently press your thumb against 1 side of your nose so that it completely blocks any air from entering.

Next breath in and out slowly and then release the thumb

Next Press your index finger against the opposite side of your nose and do 1 deep slow breath.

Next release the index finger off your nose.

Next press you thumb against the opposite side again. Now you will do 2 deep slow breaths in and out.

Next Repeat the index finger pressing on the other side of your nose and do 2 deep slow breaths.

Next release the index finger off your nose and press you thumb against the opposite side again. Now you will do 3 deep slow breaths in and out.

Next Repeat the index finger pressing on the other side of your nose and do 3 deep slow breaths.

Next release the index finger off your nose and press you thumb against the opposite side again. Now you will do 4 deep slow breaths in and out.

Next Repeat the index finger pressing on the other side of your nose and do 4 deep slow breaths.

I should point out that my teacher at that time had us doing 101 breaths on each side - per daily breathing session.

He also said that he was being easy on us because we were Western and not used to discipline.

When I asked him how long he meditated like this?

He replied, "I do not measure time, I do or I do not."

I later found out that his attitude was brilliant because when you become so engrossed in doing this, time actually does not matter. Hours will seem like minutes.

Here is a "different version" of that technique I found online.

How Can Pranayama Help Me?

Firstly, there are many different Pranayama breathing techniques, you need to find the one which best suits you.

Pranayama helps you understand the complex methods of breathing and how you can utilize breathing to help elevate yourself spiritually.

If you are doing any kind of advanced meditation, you really need to know these breathing techniques.

Several Books On "Pranayama"